IDOL's impact on the entertainment industry resonates beyond the scope of television. The series has brought generations together with a common goal: to discover the next music superstar. Over the past 12 seasons, IDOL finalists have released more than 200 albums, scored 400 No.1 Billboard hits, garnered more than 250 million iTunes downloads and have been certified with 95 gold and 83 platinum records. IDOL contestants have conquered Broadway, television and film and have won numerous awards and accolades, including American Country Music Awards, Country Music Awards, Grammy Awards and an Academy Award.

Every year, tens of thousands of hopefuls from across the nation audition for a shot at stardom. The show's judges will travel across the country including stops in Atlanta, GA; Austin, TX; Boston, MA; Detroit, MI; Omaha, NE, Salt Lake City, UT; and San Francisco, CA, in search of the next AMERICAN IDOL. They narrow down the competitors to a select group of semifinalists who sing their hearts out each week in front of a studio audience and television viewers.